Matariki is the Maori New Year celebration that occurs when the Matariki star cluster rises in late May or early June, marking the start of a new year. Matariki, also known as the Pleiades star cluster, can first be seen in the northeastern sky at dawn and rises higher in the following weeks. The rising of Matariki signals the Maori New Year and is celebrated with activities like kite flying, hot air balloons, and fireworks to commemorate the seven sisters of the Matariki constellation and welcome the new life of the 21st century.